Northwest ISD honors top students in Class of 2014

Northwest High School salutatorian Macie Grippin spent every year of elementary through high school in the Northwest school district.

The 18-year-old from Haslet planned to reflect on a dozen years’ worth of memories in her salutatory address at Tuesday’s graduation ceremony at the University of North Texas. "My speech is mainly about the memories that were made," Grippin said.

Grippin is about to make some new memories north of the Red River. She plans to attend Oklahoma State University and major in business. "I went on a visit and I immediately feel in live with the school," Grippin said.

Also headed north of the Texas border is Northwest High’s valedictorian was Parker Kneis. The 18-year-old from Haslet plans to attend the University of Oklahoma and major in biology with a pre-med emphasis. Kneis’ goal is to study orthopedics in the future.

Byron Nelson High School valedictorian Haley Whitfield isn’t exactly sure where her career path will leader her. But the 18-year-old from Trophy Club, who will attend the University of Alabama, knows she wants to study chemistry. It’s a field of study she fell in love with in science teacher Debra Herrmann’s Advanced Placement Chemistry class.

"It was absolutely incredible and made me love the subject a lot," Whitfield said.

Whitfield planned to impart to her fellow graduates at Tuesday’s graduation at UNT that the most significant part of their lives isn’t some far off distant point. "My main piece of advice is a lot of people are waiting for the next stage of life to start," she said. "But the life we’re living right now is just as important."

Whitfield felt a strong bond with her fellow Nelson classmates, who she said were conscientious, talented and full of school pride. "I absolutely loved it," Whitfield said. "I wouldn’t have to wanted to be anywhere else."

Salutatorian Madison Edwards isn’t headed out of state for her undergraduate study. The 17-year-old from Trophy Club plans to attend Southwestern University in Georgetown, Texas, and major in engineering and math.

Rachel Schnitzer, valedictorian of Steele Accelerated High School, has not yet decided on a major. The 17-year-old, who graduated June 5 in Steele’s ceremony at the Northwest High School Performing Arts Center, is attending UNT.